The Bubble Wrap Boy by Phil Earle

Probably one of the biggest unsung heroes in the UKYA and Teen community is the wonderful Mr. Phil Earle. Through his work at Penguin, he’s known throughout the publishing industry as enthusiastic, always ready with a smile and a handshake, and a passionate recommendation for twelve dozen upcoming titles that he can’t wait to see you enjoy. Of course, in addition to his evangelical zeal for Teen Fiction and his warm, approachable demeanour, Phil is also a hugely talented (and woefully underrated) author of Teen Fiction himself. He’s skilled at drawing on his past experiences working with troubled youths to create heart wrenchingly honest and touching characters, as I mentioned in my previous review for the emotional rollercoaster that is Heroic. With The Bubble Wrap Boy, Phil is aiming at the younger end of the Teen market, with a softer, shorter novel… But he sure can still pack a huge heart into it.

Yet another vibrant, striking jacket.

The Bubble Wrap Boy tells the story of young Charlie Han, an unusually small, accident prone teenager who lives with his overbearing mother and nearly mute father above the family Chinese Takeaway restaurant. Charlie is far from popular at school, his minute stature and accident prone nature meaning he’s the source of a lot of pranks and laughter, and his mother is so overprotective that his home life is practically a padded cell. His only friend is the similarly outcast Linus, nicknamed Sinus because of his oversized nose, a sarcastically sharp individual with an obsession with staring at brick walls. So, yeah, Charlie Han’s life is far from exciting or comfortable, let alone exciting. He yearns for a chance to not always be the little kid who falls flat on his face just trying to walk to classes, and for the chance to prove to his mum that he’s not made out of fine china. Then, he comes across his chance when he accidently stumbles into the local skate park and is completely captivated by the teenagers who soar like birds, and more importantly, who fall over – a lot. An activity where falling off the board is part of the fun? Nothing could be more up Charlie’s street! Sinus isn’t so sure, but he admits that the promise of watching his tiny best friend break both arms and legs does have some appeal. The only problem is, how can Charlie possibly become a skating pro when his mum insists on a helmet just to go in the shower? He has to become a ninja of skating, hiding all evidence from her, including board, scratches and bruises… It isn’t going to be easy, but Charlie can’t avoid the call.

Phil’s debut, Being Billy, is a blisteringly honest novel.

When The Bubble Wrap Boy opened with Charlie listing his problems with being short, I immediately felt a connection with him – I too had always been shorter and clumsier than the other kids at school. Charlie’s talent for over exaggeration and outlandish thought processes makes him a vibrantly likable, plucky little protagonist with brilliant melodramatic tendencies. In counterpoint to this is Sinus, who I thought was delightfully weird, confidently strange and acid tongued, is a sarcastically apathetic character. Between the two of them is a constant up and down of emotion, as Charlie becomes excitable and Sinus knocks him back to Earth with his dry realism. Charlie’s mum starts out the book on the line of caricature, but she swiftly develops into a warm woman with a whole host of deeply rooted troubles and a psychologically complex background that makes her behaviour heart aching – though frustrating. Phil has again created wonderfully faceted characters that encompass strengths, weaknesses and flaws perfectly, making them all outlandish, yet relatable at the same time.

Just… Such a great book.

As with his other books, The Bubble Wrap Boy positively crackles with distinctive voice that I’ve come to love from Mr. Earle’s books – He has an easy way of writing that is at times absurdly hilarious, pulling in great over the top metaphors, but also has a soft, muted sense of sadness that he can turn on at a moment’s notice. In fact, his quick, smart humour makes the drama stand out so sharply and in contrast that it can take your breath away. His narrative in The Bubble Wrap Boy is immediately outlandish, but when it hits the emotional points, it does it with poise and dignity that holds the reader’s attention and helps grow his character’s personalities, rounding them and making them more three dimensional. This book made me laugh out loud, and made me gasp out loud, and whilst the plot might have points that you can see coming as the reader, the intelligent, relevant voice in the storytelling makes everything feel shiny and new, dynamic and realistic despite the outlandish comedy beats. And just as you think you know where it’s going, an explosion of darkness, sadness will derail your expectations and keep you absolutely on the edge of your seat.

Flying for Dora,

Until next time, thanks for reading.

D

Heroic by Phil Earle

I’m a bad person. I know, you wouldn’t think it if you knew me, but honest I am a fair bit rubbish, & I’m going to tell you why. I am lucky enough to have met Phil Earle on two occasions, & let me tell you I will be hard pressed to find another person with such a ready, welcoming warm smile, & such powerful tenacity & passion for Children’s books. He’s friendly, genuine & always ready to make you feel more comfortable (or refill your wine). The first time I met him, he introduced me to another author… Who was it now…? OH YEAH NEIL GAIMAN!! So he’s ace for that. Why am I a bad person? Well, the second time I met Phil was at the announcement for Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2013, where he kindly gave a bunch of us a copy of his new upcoming book, Heroic. Having no bag on me at the time, I left it on a nearby table, sure that I’d pick it up before we left. Then there was FREE WINE. Lots of it. I’m not proud to say it, but I wandered off into the London streets without my generously free copy of Phil’s new novel… I’m sorry Phil. I got a new one though! So you can’t hate me! So there. He probably still hates me.

He looks much too lovely to hate me, let’s be honest.

Heroic is a Young Adult drama novel examining the difficulties of life in poverty, coping with mental illness & ultimately of the love & support we can find in life if we try hard enough. The book follows the story of two brothers, both from below the breadline in a sprawling estate of tower blocks known affectionately as “The Ghost”. Sonny McGann, 16 years old, lives his day to day life with his mates on the estate, The Originals, stealing what he can to get by & support him & his mum. He’s a bright kid with a clever mouth on him, but him & his Originals live by a strict code of ethics: You don’t steal from your own. You don’t sell on your own patch. You don’t mess around with each other’s sister. These rules had been set down long before, by Sonny’s older brother: James “Jammy” McGann. Jammy, at 18, along with fellow Original Tommo, signed up with the army, & their perspective of the story is told from the dusty war-torn landscape of Afghanistan. Sonny misses his brother, but he also feels the pressure of being expected to keep the crew in line, the constant expectations to be like the brave, strong Jammy. When things start to develop between him & Tommo’s sister Cam, Sonny starts to break rules… Sick of being forced to be like his brother, he’s going to make his own world. But Jammy won’t be gone forever…

I’ve seen Phil joke on Twitter before (@philearle), that he is incapable of writing anything other than gritty, hard hitting YA. After his phenomenal & critically acclaimed Being Billy, I would’ve believed that, but after Heroic, I’m not sure I want him to. He has a great ability to capture the dark, harsh sides of life in such a way that it makes the brighter, more positive glimpses we see stand out so strongly.

Heroic’s brilliantly stoic jacket.

Characters is where I normally like to start. Sonny took some getting used to for me, he’s unlike any character I’ve ever associated with before, but his honourable intentions & heart of gold helped me connect with him before long. His inner turmoil, his desire to be his own man, but still do the right thing, struck a chord with me. He wants to keep everything together, wants to make everyone he knows smile, & I can appreciate that. I can also appreciate the pressure it puts on him, & it makes him a noble, if conflicted character. He often acts & talks before his brain can catch up, & he’s got a serious attitude that sometimes bypasses his need to do good. All this adds up to a wonderfully flawed character who has the best of intentions, but struggles with his own teenage nature. Jammy… Now Jammy is a powerful, complex character. Returning from Afghanistan a changed man, having seen far too much for his just 18 years, Jammy is multiple layers of angst, conflicted personality & guilt. Phil does a fantastic job at examining the ravaging psychological effects of Post-Traumatic stress, demonstrating how sometimes the damage of combat on a young person’s fragile psychology is just as damaging as the gunshot wounds & shrapnel damage. Jammy’s flashbacks are haunting, pulling no punches on the horrors of war, the twitching unease that constantly surrounds soldiers in enemy territory. It’s this constant focus that often causes young soldiers to snap, & this book understands that, making a point to illustrate every darkened doorway & looming window in the tense fire fights that overwhelm the brains of many troops. His coping strategy on the return to the Ghost is painfully gripping & tense, & I found myself unable to put the book down after that point, horrified by what he might do next, but so invested in the character that I couldn’t stop reading. That’s the talent of Phil Earle, he can make you gripped by the suffering of others is such a compelling way. His supporting characters are great too, each fully fleshed out, different & clearly defined as individuals. Hitch was a favourite of mine… His confrontation outside the lift was tense, psychologically draining, & reminiscent of something from an Irvine Welsh novel, all dirty & taught with the threat of approaching chaos. Cam was a fantastic character too, a rare case of a strong female character who exists as more than just a romantic interest. She’s compassionate, level headed & her dialogue is always delightfully witty or painfully honest.

Phil’s début novel, Being Billy, is also a must read examination of the darker sides of life.

So, basically Heroic is great. It’s a tough read, with some incredibly hard hitting moments (Little Wayne in the marketplace, the confrontation on the rooftop, Hitch’s flat to name a few), but the compelling struggles of each character really pull you through these with wide, unblinking eyes. The themes of brotherhood, friendship & family are strong & uplifting, & it sends an amazingly positive message that sometimes it’s all right to not be OK, & that no one person has all the answers. We all need each other to get by in the world, & there’s no harm in leaning on someone from time to time.

Thanks, I need to read something funny now!

D